


Finding Jupiter

by yamacoochie



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pet Store, Fluff, Getting Together, KyouHaba - Freeform, M/M, No time for Oikawa’s shit!Yahaba, Oikawa Tooru is a Little Shit, Pet store owner!Kyoutani, Turtles, he also owns a turtle, iwaoi - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26224690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yamacoochie/pseuds/yamacoochie
Summary: Yahaba’s finds himself going back to the pet store to see a certain someone whether he liked to admit it, or not. Kyoutani is said someone.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kyoutani Kentarou & Yahaba Shigeru, Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, Oikawa Tooru & Yahaba Shigeru
Comments: 3
Kudos: 108





	Finding Jupiter

Yahaba ordered his coffee, sitting at a small booth at the back of the cafe. He settled into the plush seat, breathing in the calming atmosphere.

Yahaba appreciated dark wood and dim lights (especially during rainy days) and this place was just that. The summer rain didn’t ruin his holiday like it would others, in fact, he was fond of it. This small town coffee shop had always been his go-to for all the many reasons and reasons to come. Despite having become a regular, and often visiting to study, Yahaba took time to survey the air which smelled different on every occasion. Closing his eyes, he listened to the hum of the other customers and became thoroughly absorbed in the quell of the shop.

“Yahaba-chan~!”

His peace was shattered as the squealing voice of his upperclassman cut through his calm thoughts.  This was what Yahaba was usually associated to: vivacious, pretty, delicate. It was only Oikawa who possessed raw traits similar to Yahaba, hence why he held the utmost respect for him. However, his senpai’s facade of the above qualities never failed to irk everyone he knew - including his underclassmen.

Yahaba sighed, beckoning him over with a smile and a wave. They both received their orders shortly, Yahaba’s strong, black and bitter beverage looked a little unsightly next to Oikawa’s steaming red-tinted tea. 

They eased into steady conversation on a myriad of topics. College life, friends, clubs and touching lightly on romance. His time was taken up with mostly Oikawa's stories and the smallest details of his life.  


Yahaba enquired about his other upperclassmen, all of which Oikawa kept in touch with, and he listened intently to the wacky stories he told, no matter how long.  


Much had happened since the third years moved on and Yahaba's list of responsibilities began to grow there. With the team and grades being his top priority, he never looked at anything or anyone for longer than a glance. It didn't matter to him though. Much like Oikawa, Yahaba put his heart and soul into the team, though Oikawa also put his heart and soul into Iwaizumi.  


Yahaba was close with both of them, more Oikawa because of obvious likeness, and he never passed up an opportunity to meet, much like this one. There was never a particular purpose rather it gave a chance for them to maintain their close friendship ouside of their volleyball life. The aimless chatter camoflagued into the low hum of the shop and died slowely, as their excitement fizzled. Yahaba caught a hiccup in his senpai’s habitually immaculate persona, making the judgment that there was, in fact, a reason to this meet. 

“What did you call to meet for, Oikawa?”

“Well...”, Oikawa took a tentative sip of his drink, steam fogging his glasses, “I’ve tried asking Makki and Mattsun but they’re both in different regions right now; Iwa-chan was obviously my first choice but he’ll be in Hokkaido and he already refused; I don’t want to ask the first years either-“ 

  
“Please just tell me already.”   
  


Oikawa continued his mumbling before gathering his words, “My family and I are going abroad this summer.”

“Hmm,” Yahaba already didn’t like where the conversation was leading but didn’t show it. He took larger gulps of his coffee subconsciously, the dark liquid spilling past his lips.

“Sooo there won’t be anyone to take care of Jupiter.” At his kouhai’s confused stare, Oikawa rephrased, “...My turtle.”

“First off, I didn’t know you had a turtle,” Oikawa opened his mouth to interrupt but Yahaba continued, ”Second, that was really unexpected and third, even if I agreed, I don't know the first thing about pets, let alone turtles.” 

It was indeed a peculiar request, one that Yahaba wasn’t prepared to answer until he collected his thoughts surrounding the issue. His parents weren't a problem and he wasn't bothered about buying it's necessities.  


Oikawa offered him a mini notebook, crisp and clean as if it was bought for this purpose. He’d now shedded his guarded look, opting for the stern visual which reminded Yahaba of when he was his captain. The whole exchange was strange to him; Oikawa hardly asked of him and usually gave him tasks to 'refine his character'. This was sketchy and foreign.  
  


> _ 'Oikawa’s guide to taking care of Jupiter-chan ( ｡ゝ ∀ ・ )b'_

  
“This should do it. I simplified everything down into 5 steps, with elaboration of cause, and if you need any other help you can text me. Pleeease, Yahaba-chan?” Oikawa pressed his hands together, giving Yahaba his infamous pout. _  
_

Taking care of an animal wasn’t to be taken lightly but Oikawa trusted Yahaba with a team of baboons when he left high school. Surely one small creature wouldn’t be nearly as much of a handful.

After weighing his options, the younger setter sighed, giving a steady nod towards Oikawa.

This was going to be a long summer.

* * *

Jupiter was the name of Oikawa’s pet turtle. A strange name if you asked anyone but it suited Oikawa’s space obsession. The creature was about the size of a digestive biscuit with a stunning golden carapace and dark rough legs. It’s eyes were large and round, the nearest light source casting playful glints in its eyes. At least it was small and cute, unlike its owner.

Yahaba didn’t know two shits about taking care of animals, let alone a fancy turtle, so naturally Oikawa’s request came as nothing short of a surprise. He knew it had been urgent as the Oikawa family were scheduled to leave the next morning. That made it hard to refuse and just when Yahaba believed Oikawa’s influence on him had dissipated. Alas, Yahaba agreed to take responsibility for the animal perched on top of his desk.

Walking over to the desk, he picked up the notebook Oikawa left him. Hopefully, it was useful and he wouldn’t have to text Oikawa every 5 minutes.  
  


> _ 1\. Jupiter-chan eats A LOT _

  
Oikawa had given him names of specific foods to feed her and what not to feed her. The scribbles instructed how to deal with her antics, none of which Yahaba has experienced yet, but he’d made more of how similar she sounded to his obnoxious upperclassman.

There were also details (thankfully) surrounding where to find the masses of items: a pet shop located not too far of from his school. Yahaba wasn’t too keen on leaving the comforts of his bed but he needed to shop for the other bits and bobs his upperclassman mentioned.

Grabbing his bag and the Jupiter’s portable cage, he set off in the direction of the shop. 

The shop was located on the other side of town - the city area. Both the Oikawa and Yahaba household were on the country outskirts because of their fairly wealthy parents. It was because of this that Yahaba was closer to Oikawa than his other senpai, Iwaizumi and, though he’d never admit it, Oikawa’s annoying antics grew on him.

Yahaba decided on taking the long walk nonetheless, holding only the carrier and his messenger bag. The shop wasn’t big or flashy, rather it’s muted tones and cramped shelves gave off a more comfortable, small town business vibe. The sign in the front was wooden, which sat weirdly above the automatic doors. 

Inside was a lot more hushed than the bustling streets outside, the difference giving him a peaceful sensation. It was faintly obscured places like this that inspired Yahaba. He jotted some dribbled notes on the inside of his arm before tasking himself with finding the food.

It was then he realised that with the wide varieties of food, it’d take eternity to find what he needed. Rows upon rows of all kinds of products were haphazardly stacked on shelves. A tiny tapping sound emerged from the carrier, catching Yahaba’s attention. Placing the cage on the floor, he carried Jupiter out the cage and perched her on his shoulder. 

“What would you like for dinner, missus?” He whispered, more to himself, as he stared absently into the selections of pet grub. Yahaba let out a large huff and began to sort through each individual item in hopes of finding the inconspicuous title section. Strings of muttered curses escaped his lips as the search grew more and more frustrating. He hadn’t even found one item yet. 

“You’ll never find anything like that.” A gruff voice sounded behind him. Yahaba turned to meet dark piercing eyes, with heavy black eyeliner.   
His hair was dyed, save for two stripes that circled his head. The harsh appearance was greatly contrasted by the pastel work apron that adorned his apparently toned body.  
 _An odd character_ , Yahaba thought, holding in a laugh.

“I’ll never find anything because it’s been so terribly organised. How could anyone find anything in this? What’re the workers doing, I wonder.”  
Smiling inwardly at the redness that tainted the other man’s ears, Yahaba turned to continue his search. This one had horrible urges to rile people up (not so much of a guilty pleasure) hence he found that his chagrin at the smallest of actions ticked off his tidy provocation skills. Sort of like letting off steam. 

He was stopped and spun back around by his shoulder. The other man looked like he’d punch Yahaba, a scowl etched on his already dark features, “I don’t have time for this. Do what you want.”

“Oh, looks like you work here-” Yahaba’s eyes flickered downwards, “-Kyoutani-san? I believe somebody’s been sleeping on the job looking at this disaster.”

Yahaba watched as the man, Kyoutani, looked on the verge of killing him. Yahaba didn’t call himself an asshole even though he swam in the satisfaction of having ‘won’ the argument.

Kyoutani muttered what was probably insults under his breath as he walked towards the counter. The small action definitely ticked Yahaba off even though he was deserving of it and everything against him that could come after it. Despite this, the setter resumed his search, pushing down the urge to declare war. 

* * *

Yahaba managed to find the food items Oikawa had listed. He’d taken embarrassingly long to find it, considering didn’t want to have to ask the disrespectful shop worker. Yahaba didn’t mean to provoke him, however the frustrations of not being able to find a couple of items were definitely getting to him. He just wanted to go home.

He stopped in front of the counter, placing his bags in front of the worker. ‘Kyoutani’ was throwing a tennis ball around with what looked like immense concentration. Yahaba cleared his throat for Kyoutani to scan his things.

However, the blonde just stared at Jupiter who lounged on Yahaba’s shoulder then back at the food. Yahaba, suddenly feeling a little self conscious, snapped, “Are you going to scan my things or not?”

Kyoutani’s eyes jump up as his face fell into the same snarling expression as before. Yahaba felt a little rush of triumph at having annoyed the other. But instead of lashing out, Kyoutani just grumbled, scanning the bags of food.

Yahaba left, exhausted and starving, and with armfuls of food that wouldn't be edible to him. The walk back home was so much more tiresome with the day's shopping and the carrier in his arms.  
  
He didn't struggle with the weight, rather, the emotional exhaustion of having to deal with the shop's disarray that left him immensely fatigued. It was a wonder to Yahaba how Kyoutani could stand to look at the mess or, even more shocking, how the shop owners could let an impudent boy like him handle the shop alone. 

It's none of my business , Yahaba huffed, finally arriving at the comforts of his home. Stepping inside, he was suddenly glad that his house was in its usual immaculate state. Then, deciding it was too much struggle, Yahaba opted to buy anything Jupiter needed online.

He was  not going to go back to that shop again.

Night had fallen and it was time for Jupiter's dinner. It was to Yahaba's dismay that he'd bought a 'different version' of Oikawa's suggested food choices, one that was not suited to Jupiter's liking and she often refused to eat it.

  
"SHE DOESN'T LIKE THE BLUE VERSION?!" Yahaba furiously check through the bags of food he'd bought. 

_ "(Don't buy the blue versions because they’re mixed foods. She likes to have her meats and plants separated so she likely won't eat it if you buy it)"  _

Yahaba did not want return the food the next day and opted to try and feed her the bag he'd bought. Of course, the creature was as picky an eater as Oikawa as she purposefully ignored the food set in her cage. She even went as far as sniffing the food and pushing it away, which looked like a deliberate attempt to say “ I'm not eating that shit” . 

"Oho you bitch ass- come here-" Yahaba pushed the turtle towards the food, repeatedly coaxing her to it. With no avail, Yahaba flopped onto his bed, leaving Jupiter to do her own thing, "Girls are so annoying.”

He snuggled into the mattress, dialling a familiar number to vent the day’s stresses. 

“Hello?”

“Watari help. I’m dying.” 

“Shit dude, someone sounds knackered,” Yahaba heard his friend chuckle across the line and sighed dramatically. He took this opportunity to explain the day’s exhausting events. Watari listened quietly, asking occasional questions. Watari was Yahaba’s close friend who attended the same university as him. They’d been friends since high school and he was definitely Yahaba’s first choice to confide in. 

“So to sum up, you’re stuck with Oikawa’s bitchy pet turtle for the whole summer and the pet store guy is kind of an asshole?” Watari sounded ready to advise which, honestly, Yahaba needed. 

“Hmm”

“What did he do?” 

“He was a bit...” Yahaba trailed off, knowing full well he was the asshole in this scenario. He just needed to get what he was looking for, no nonsense included. 

“Listen, Shigeru, my dear dear friend. You’re missing the bigger picture. The real question is, is he hot?” 

Yahaba jumped, letting out a series of strangled noises that didn’t sound human. He’d never been one to be forward and he felt a dark blush creep up his neck and cheeks.

“Pff-what?! No. What! No of cour- you- Shinji stop laughing,” Yahaba whined, flustered over the fact that his friend took this moment to tease him. The bursts of laughter died down and Watari apologised emptily.

“Honestly, don’t think too much of him. I know you get pissed off easily but you’ve got to stop cranking people up. If you’re attracted to him, please take this opportunity to bone. Dude seriously, you get particularly grumpy when-“

“Okay, okay I get it,” Yahaba tried to conclude, Watari’s ‘shhhh’s begged to differ. 

“From what I’ve heard, he sounds like your type but if you’re not into that, then stop being whiny and ask him for what you need. Then, you don’t have to see him again because you know what you’re looking for.” 

“He’s not my type,” Yahaba grumbled. 

“Whatever you say. Please be nice next time, though. You probably made a mess out of a really nice guy.”

Yahaba knew he needed to keep his mild anger issues in check although it wouldn’t be easy. Watari also knew that and concluded that Yahaba shouldn’t react to any hostility from the shop keeper if he wanted to keep his head. 

“Yeah, thanks Shinji.” 

“Anytime, bud.” 

Yahaba’s eyes flickered to Jupiter, her eyes closed, shell bobbing up and down in soft breaths. He resigned to sleep, shooting a quick goodbye at his friend across the phone. He’d already opened the bag of food and figured he’d wait until Jupiter (unwillingly) finished it.

Then he’d just have to go buy some more.  
  


> _ 2.Jupiter-chan is very scared of loud noises. DON’T SCARE HER SHI-CHAN _

  
Yahaba assumed Jupiter was feeling hungry from the refusal of last nights dinner. She crawled into his breast pocket and stayed there silently nestling into the fabric. Yahaba got used to her crawling on him pretty quickly, often thinking that she was a young girl trapped in the body of a turtle. This however, felt different. She didn't cuddle or tap him or unhinge her jaw only to close it slowly. She felt quiet.

He figured he could cure the uneasiness with food, like he would to himself or his friends. The reluctance to see the angry shopkeeper was suppressed when he set his priorities straight. Today, he would focus on her and no one else. She’d suffered eating shit food for weeks and Yahaba could only imagine what a nightmare that was.

The bus rattled and groaned under him, it’s age evidently told from the creak he heard from the seats. The walk was entertaining the first time, but the trip back was significantly longer when ‘lack of energy’ was added to the equation. The bus slowed to a halt at his stop and Yahaba could see the shop a little far down the road.

The shop’s AC was on due to the increasing summer heat. It caused minuscule goosebumps to slither up his bare arms. He meandered round each aisle, looking for the familiar scowling face from weeks before. Yahaba really didn’t look forward to it as he did feel provoked in his own way the last time he came here.

Yahaba pauses in his plod at the sound of what was unmistakably Kyoutani’s voice. He appeared to be chatting to an old woman, most likely a customer. Yahaba peaked from behind a shelf, observing what appeared to be a friendly exchange. Kyoutani’s features were softer, the harsh lines of his grimace morphed into a more approachable look.

The other customer didn’t look like him in the slightest; the smiling expression she donned didn’t seem to be made of the same structure but was warm and welcoming nonetheless. Yahaba concluded that they weren’t related, feeling guilty that Kyoutani was a decent guy if he needed to be.

The woman’s dog was large and quite nasty looking with mounds of tawny fur and a long snout. The frightening aura it gave off was similar to that of the Kyoutani he visited weeks ago making him feel wary of the creature. At least the woman kept ahold of the leash, which was secured onto the dog’s hi-vis jacket. 

“Is it the usual, oba-san?” Kyoutani reached for a couple of bags on the shelf as she gave him a nod. He helped her over to the counter, her frail body leaning over the walking stick she gripped tightly. Kyoutani scanned the items, placing them in a bag and handing them over carefully. His movements were gentle and cautious, completely contrasting the man he met a few weeks before. 

“Do you need help walking to the bus stop?” He asked, removing himself from the space behind the counter. 

She chuckled, extending a wrinkled hand to pat his shoulder, “I’m okay, Kentarou. I’m still a healthy woman so don’t you worry.” 

As the old customer left, Yahaba noticed the round tinted spectacles sat on her nose as her stick tapped along the floor. The dog pushed the door open for her and she left without another word.

Kyoutani resumed his space behind the counter and Yahaba suddenly wondered how to approach him after spying on the ordeal. He snuck towards the shop doors, opening then closing them, as though he just entered, and proceeded to walk towards the counter. Kyoutani’s face fixed back into its usual brooding look as his eyes trailed to Yahaba.

Yahaba felt nervous under his scrutinising stare, “Um, could you help me pick out some food for this one.“ he pointed to his breast pocket, not breaking the eye contact, “I have a list-“ Yahaba started to ramble slightly but was cut off by Kyoutani. 

“What’re you talking about?”

Confusion flickered across his stern expression and Yahaba followed his gaze to the now empty pocket. Yahaba felt his blood run cold as he furiously patted all his pockets. The carrier was empty and Jupiter was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly aware of Kyoutani's eyes boring through his skull, he felt embarrassment take over. He tried not to visibly flush, just for the sake of his dignity, but it was at this point that Watari's words rang through his mind. 

**_ Is he hot? _ **

And Yahaba tried not to soak in Kyoutani’s appearance properly. He did look quite good-looking with his head leaning on his hand over the counter. Yahaba's eyes trailed up his sleeveless arm, words catching his throat as he studied Kyoutani's defined tanned biceps. He sported a rugged handsomeness that was, in fact, Yahaba’s type. The sturdy shoulders, defined collar bones and chiselled jawline were prominent features that all his exes had.

Sure he was slightly attractive but Yahaba wasn’t about to damage his pride by swooning.  
  


"You’re so fucking weird." Kyoutani muttered, getting up from behind the counter. He walked over to the shelves, reaching up to continue to do whatever he was doing. But, Yahaba wasn’t paying attention to that; instead his attention was focused on the ripple of Kyoutani’s muscles under his fitted shirt. Damn Watari and his stupid words. 

“Wh-no. I’m not.” 

“I haven’t understood a word you’ve said since you’ve walked in here.” 

“Doubt you would follow a simple instruction no matter who asked you to do it.” 

“I would. I just wouldn’t follow anything you’d say.”

“Well aren’t you supposed to help me? Some customer service this is.” 

“I treat people how they treat me. I don’t know how to act like a  rich prick so excuse me if I’m not up to standard.” 

“Rich pr- do you always judge people this much when you meet them?” 

“We met before when you were wearing some pretty shit looking shoes. Thought they were designer.” 

Yahaba scoffed, “You insult my fashion choices now. You really aren’t my type, thank god.” 

“Excuse me?”

“Anyway, I asked nicely this time and you won’t even bother to help.” 

“Well what do you need then? I don’t want to have to deal with your fucking voice anymore.”

"I've lost my turtle but you don't need to help. I can find her myself." Yahaba ended the quarrel with a huff, trying to keep a cool exterior. Kyoutani's eyes followed him discreetly as he pulled out Oikawa's notebook and backed away from the counter. Yahaba could still feel his stare on him and he hated it. He'd walked in with priorities which flew out the window.

Yahaba tried to get his mind back to its usually calm state and tried to worry himself over the lost pet. Flipping the pages frantically, he came across advice from Oikawa that he should definitely have read earlier.  
  


> _ 3\. Jupiter-chan is amazing at hiding. Do not let her out of your sight!  
> _

“Oh no. No no no no no no..” Yahaba mumbled, letting his distress tumble out in a stream of empty words. It’d only been 3 weeks and Yahaba managed to mess up.

The frenzied search for Jupiter began here.

Yahaba was intent on leaving no stone unturned; he looked between items, under shelves, in between pages of magazines, inside toys, dog bowls, pet houses with no avail. He managed to calm down somewhere in the middle of the search. Sure he was terrified of the consequences but he was more terrified of the image of poor Jupiter shivering alone, on the verge of death.

The setter continued from where he was crouched, pushing away heavy bags to check the backs of the shelves. He heard a sigh on his right, jumping at the sudden contact with another. Kyoutani’s arm brushed his as he crouched to Yahaba’s level. 

“You’re messing up the shelves.” He complained, replacing the products carefully.

“It was already messy to begin with,” Yahaba muttered, allowing him to assist the seemingly hopeless situation. Regardless of the extra help, Yahaba confirmed that Jupiter was a really good hider. If anything, she was hiding just to watch him pull his hair out with stress.

  
“Where are you going?” Kyoutani’s gravelly voice called out after him abruptly as he got up after him. 

Yahaba answered, gathering the carrier and bag he had thrown earlier, “Home.”

“What about your turtle?”

“Its a lost cause. She’s a really good hider. Might as well stop trying now. ” 

Yahaba’s body was yanked away from the door. Kyoutani’s calloused hands gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him to eye level. He wasn’t breathing hard, in fact, it felt like he wasn’t breathing at all as he stared right through Yahaba. 

“So you’re just going to leave her alone here?” Kyoutani finally exhaled. His low voice caused a strange stillness throughout the shop that Yahaba reckoned was on the verge of intimidation. It was a silent moment and Yahaba couldn’t concentrate on what mattered - the poor lost Jupiter, “God, you’re such an asshole.” 

Yahaba shook his head from the daze and pushed Kyoutani off him, “I was going to try later.” 

“Sure,” Kyoutani rolled his eyes.

“Huh, you’re a big softie.” He teased, rubbing the crinkles out of the neckline of his shirt. 

Kyoutani scoffed at his remark, “I’m not a softie.” 

Yahaba hummed as a reply, about to leave when Kyoutani got on all fours. He peered under the shelves apparently looking for something. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Looking for your turtle.”

A tiny grin marked Yahaba’s face as he crouched too, continuing his search. 

* * *

** From Mum:  ** Why are you taking so long?

Yahaba looked down at his phone after scouring every inch of the shop. The bright screen blared 2PM and he’d realised that a whole 2 hours was spent looking for Jupiter. Damn, she hid well.

He looked over at Kyoutani who, much to Yahaba’s astonishment, had taken up most of his time to help him. There was the occasional customer, who Kyoutani stopped to help.

In between, Yahaba filled the gaps of silence with his talk. Kyoutani didn’t seem to listen but the former chatted anyway. The conversation consisted much of complaining about Oikawa, instead of details about himself, like you would do when you’re trying to woo someone. Though Kyoutani didn’t reply, he made tiny gestures that signalled he was aware of Yahaba’s talking: nodding, changes in facial expression (particularly when mentioning Oikawa’s bad habits) and even a hushed hum or grunt.

He didn’t think that much time passed due to the excessive scouring of the shop they were tasked with. It was indeed bizarre; they should’ve found Jupiter by now and Yahaba was positive that every nook and cranny was thoroughly checked.

He slumped against the counter, taking hefty gulps from the water Kyoutani offered him. He’d also taken a seat next to Yahaba with a deep look in his eyes. Yahaba struggled not to pay close attention to the bob of his Adam’s apple as he drank. 

Yahaba buried his head in his knees, tearing his eyes away from the other, “Why’d you decide to help me?” 

“I like animals.” Kyoutani stated bluntly, not giving any other context. 

“Well I figured considering you work here.” 

A silence blanketed them once more, this one slightly more awkward. Yahaba felt the need to break it when Kyoutani started, “Why did you get a pet if you weren’t going to care for it?” 

“Actually, it’s not mine. Oikawa was going on holiday and I happened to be the only one available to take care of it. I didn’t want to but I’ve been trying,” Yahaba chuckled. He was obviously deflated, having grown in having Jupiter as company in his often vacant home.  


He would be doing anything whether it was reading, playing games, volleyball or making dinner and Jupiter would always manage to waddle onto his shoulder. Sometimes when he put music on, she nodded her head to the beat. Yahaba considered making her a mini blanket.  


She is as affectionate and cuddly as a turtle could be, snuggling into his blanket whenever Yahaba took a nap. He’d even take her along with him to meet friends. She took the habit of sitting on his head while he talked with Watari. He wouldn’t stop laughing at him. 

His train of thought broke having heard a mumble from Kyoutani. He glances over to the other, “What did you say?” 

“It’s a Japanese wood turtle. The pet.” He coughed, turning his head away from Yahaba, “I can tell you about it...‘cause my shifts almost over, you know.”

The setter’s face broke into a smile as he grabbed his bag. He hoisted himself off of the floor and held a hand out to Kyoutani. 

“You can tell me over ramen.”  
  


> _4\. Exercise - take her with you on walks, to the library, while you’re gaming;; she’ll just wonder around and get those steps_

Their conversations had ended up consisting of 0.03% turtles and 99.97% everything there is to talk about. Yahaba didn’t struggle to talk to Kyoutani once he’d broken the ice at the shop. They took a walk to the ramen place down the road, bickering over their abandoned assignment. The squabbles had somehow morphed into full discussion and Yahaba enjoyed the time more than he’d like to admit, and taking care to listen properly whenever Kyoutani inputted.

He learned that Kyoutani had a much larger family than he had: both his parents, 2 younger sisters and 3 older sisters. Yahaba only had himself, living with his parents who were rarely at home. Kyoutani complained that his family was plenty boisterous and a complete contrast from his irked demeanour. 

Apparently, volleyball was a common interest between them as they’d both played in high school. Kyoutani spoke of a senpai he respected exceedingly and that they meet up occasionally to play. The offer to participate left a bubbly sensation in Yahaba’s stomach - the idea of a next time. 

He’d also learned that they were the same age. They both continued into higher education with Yahaba studying literature and Kyoutani, medicine. No one really placed Yahaba as the writer type because of more than just his sensitive temper. Then again, he didn’t place Kyoutani as the science type because of the exact same reason. 

“I would most definitely place you as a nerd. With that hair, of course.” Kyoutani snorted, mouthful of red-hot fire noodles. Yahaba’s own broth was a light colour, sporting an easy-on-the-tongue chicken flavour. 

“Better than your weird as fuck hair dye,” Yahaba retorted, flopping him off playfully, “Besides, I’m not the one studying  medicine . Ew.”

The setter felt a rush of satisfaction upon seeing a scarlet blush of embarrassment spread across Kyoutani's cheeks. He mumbled something unintelligible, sinking into the plush seat of their booth. 

Yahaba craned his neck towards him, putting a hand to his ear, "What was that?"

"...Wanna be a vet," Kyoutani murmured again. 

“As in, work with animals?” 

Kyoutani nodded in reply, “I had a dog when I was a kid but it passed away.” 

“Oh.” Yahaba didn’t really know how to follow on with deep conversations and opted to cheer up the gloomy look on Kyoutani’s face, “My other upperclassman has a dog. Oikawa’s boyfriend. He’s really cute and cuddly.” 

“Who? Oikawa or the dog?” 

“Har har, the dog of course.” 

Kyoutani shovelled more Raman into his mouth, slurping louder than Yahaba ever has in his life, “You talk about Oikawa a lot. Do you have a crush on him or something?”

Yahaba sighed, “No, I don’t. I get that a lot but he’s really helped me through a lot of stuff back in high school.”

Kyoutani quietened a little, “Yeah, my upperclassman helped me with a lot of stuff too. I worked here back then as well. He picked up stuff for his boyfriends pet a lot and stuck around to talk.” 

“Aw that’s nice. Your look isn’t really welcoming,” Yahaba teases lightly, ducking down to his raman. 

“Shut up.” 

And it dawned on Yahaba that Kyoutani really wasn’t so bad. They’d eaten unhurriedly, chatting idly as minutes ticked by. It went unsaid that they were both enjoying each others company, hidden with bickering and meaningless insults.

However, it was when his mother texted again that Yahaba realised that he’d spent more than lunch with the blonde. They got ready to leave after Yahaba begrudgingly agreeing to split the bill. He watched as Kyoutani reached to grab his wallet, only to see the latter pause suddenly. Eyes lingering on his lips, which parted as a result of what was probably shock, Yahaba shook away his grimy thoughts and asked what was wrong.

Yahaba’s own jaw went slack as Kyoutani pulled out a familiar looking creature for inside his bag. 

“JUPITER, YOU LITTLE SH-“  
  


> _ 5\. My gal needs her beauty sleep: 7hrs rest plus a 1hr nap after lunch  _

“She must be really tired,” Kyoutani uttered from atop the counter, careful not to awaken the sleeping turtle on his lap. 

The pair returned to the pet shop (after being kicked out of the raman place following Yahaba’s outburst) and Jupiter had dozed off before they got there. They didn’t speak at all during the stroll because weirdly, the atmosphere between them had shifted into something much more pleasant. 

“Yeah, all that running away must’ve left her exhausted,” Yahaba yawned. 

“Are you tired?” Yahaba looked up to Kyoutani from his seat behind the worktop. He became conscious of the heaviness of his limbs and the slightly heftier drop of his eyelids. Small droplets formed at the corners of his eyes from the previous yawn which had added substantially to the growing slowness of his brain. Yahaba was one of those people who breathed out a  ‘no’  even though he was most irrefutably drained. 

Kyoutani huffed, his chest heaved gently and he stared down at the sluggish brown haired liar, “You gotta get home before your mother beats your ass, dipshit.” 

Despite the insult, he hauled Yahaba up, pinching his cheeks to wake him up. 

“Owwww,” Yahaba wailed, slapping Kyoutani’s hands away, “You poo.” 

He was more awake at least and managed to make it through the door. They trudged to the bus stop, Kyoutani abandoning his spot to accompany him. He pushed Yahaba towards the little stall, headlights coming into view at the end of the road. 

“Go sleep.” 

“M’kay.” 

“Remember to feed her what I gave you.”

“I knowww,” Yahaba stick his tongue out childishly, attempting the talk off the sleep.

Kyoutani just grunted, “Shithead.” 

“Bitchbaby.”

“What-“ Their skirmish was interrupted by the bus which pulled up at the stop. Kyoutani shuffled awkwardly, as if he wasn’t sure with how to say goodbye. To save him trouble, Yahaba waved and turned his back to step on the vehicle. 

“Wait,” Calloused fingertips clutched his lightly. The surprisingly gentle touch sent a shiver through Yahaba’s arm, the astonishment keeping him rooted still.   
  


“I’ll tell you more tomorrow. About the turtle.” Kyoutani barked, the loudness of his voice greatly differing from the soft tone he used seconds before. He shoved a piece of paper into Yahaba’s fingers and stalked off. 

The toffee-haired boy hopped on to the bus with a laugh. Opening the paper, and punching the numbers into his phone. Yahaba glanced at Oikawa’s tiny pet on his shoulder.

** To Kyoutani (* ｀ ω´):  **

Coffee tomorrow?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, thanks for taking time to read my first fic!! Hope you enjoyed this lil fluffy KyouHaba as a nice start to this account :))
> 
> Also excuse my lack of turtle knowledge. I tried to research.


End file.
